


Never Been More Sober

by bananaquit



Category: Gattaca (1997)
Genre: Canon Compliant, First Kiss, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-04 22:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananaquit/pseuds/bananaquit
Summary: It was charming how much Vincent was worried about him, how much he cared. Eugene wished he could hate him.





	Never Been More Sober

**Author's Note:**

> TW FOR SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, DRINKING, AND VOMIT

It was charming how much Vincent was worried about him, how much he cared. Eugene wished he could hate him. He wished he had it in him to tell him what he was really going to do when Vincent was gone. He wished Vincent wouldn’t look at him so tenderly with those ocean-deep eyes, so precious, so endearing, so sickeningly sweet and kind. He wished they had never met, that Vincent had never showed up and made everything so much more complicated, so much harder. He wished he wasn’t in love. He wished he was anything more than second best.

Fate didn’t have a habit of granting his wishes, though, so he dodged around the question of what he would do in Vincent’s absence and downed his glass of wine, hoping to drive the thoughts away. He asked about the weather on Titan this time of year, tried to lighten the mood. As Vincent leaned down to fill his glass with smoke in the most unnecessarily attractive way he could, Eugene knew he was done for.

He poured himself another glass of wine.

 

* * *

 

“You must be drunk to call me Vincent.” Vincent said, letting a half-smile play over his face as if that was an excuse to forget what he’d just heard, as if it made everything that had just poured out of Eugene’s mouth the lie he so desperately wanted it to be.

“You could say that.” Eugene replied with a drunken grin, his mind too bleary to come up with anything more clever. “Did you know alcohol only removes inhibitions? It just takes away restraint. Makes it very hard to lie when you’re drunk. All you really need to do is get someone to knock back enough booze to see who they really are. Isn’t that interesting?”

“You’re drunk.” Vincent said again, staring down in slight horror at the man on the bed beneath him.

Without warning, Eugene grabbed him by the collar for the second time and pulled him down into a kiss. Vincent could still taste the bile on his lips from when he’d vomited in the parking lot just a few minutes earlier. He drew back in shock and mild disgust, confused.

“I love you,” Eugene breathed, his words all alcohol and honesty. He didn’t loosen his grip on Vincent’s collar, never wanting to let him go. He wanted to keep him here forever, but Vincent’s desire had always been to leave; how could he compare to the stars?

“Go to sleep.” Vincent repeated. He wrenched himself free of Eugene’s grip and left without another word.

Eugene half-laughed and half-cried himself to sleep.

 

* * *

 

“I’m really sorry about last night. I really am.” Eugene said, rolling up next to Vincent the next morning. He gritted his teeth and ignored his pounding headache. The hangover was nothing compared to the uncertainty of not knowing Vincent’s reaction.

Vincent adjusted his tie in the mirror, not even looking at him. “It’s okay.” he said, his expression unreadable. He walked out the door and nothing more was said.

Eugene strongly considered just throwing himself in the incinerator then, but decided against it. It was just a little too soon.

 

* * *

 

“How was work?” The question was Eugene’s flimsy attempt at restoring routine. He fiddled with a cigarette as he regarded the man who had taken not only his body, but his heart and soul. His nonchalant tone wasn’t much of a surprise to Vincent, who had just returned from another day of work at Gattaca. Of course Eugene would try to pretend like it never happened.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot today.” said Vincent. The words tumbled out of his mouth without warning and he was powerless to stop them. “I half expected you’d be dead when I came back.” His voice was deadpan, any emotion the words conveyed indistinguishable. “I shouldn't have left you alone.” he added softly after a pause, the concern now clear in his tone.

Eugene sat in stunned silence for a moment, his eyes wide. The room was still apart from dust motes drifting gently in the sunshine. Vincent stood, unmoving, across the floor from him. “Relax. I’m not going anywhere as long as you still need me.” Eugene assured him with an almost dismissive tone. He resumed his facade, taking a quick drag of his cigarette and looking away.

Vincent crossed the room in a few quick strides and grabbed Eugene's shoulders, looking him directly in the eyes. “You don't understand. I'll always need you. Not just for samples. It's not just your blood, your genes, your DNA. I need _you_.”

Eugene only looked up at him with his lips parted slightly, terrified of breaking the fragile moment.

Vincent leaned closer, paused to hover with his mouth just inches from Eugene’s, and searched his eyes for any kind of resistance. Eugene made no move to pull away. If anything, his eyes held something close to anticipation. With that, Vincent connected their lips. Eugene tried not to be too eager with his reciprocation, but still let their lips linger together for a while before he pulled back.

“Are you sure you aren’t still drunk?” Eugene joked, smiling up at him.

“I’ve never been more sober in my life.” Vincent said, smiling back.


End file.
